| July 16 |  |
Editor says, what if the Muslim Princes had won the critical battle of the Reconquista? Please note that the opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s). This story was published in the February 2011 edition of Changing the Times Magazine.
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In 1212, on this day the Battle of Al-Uqab was won by an Almohad army led by the sultan Caliph al-Nasir.
Battle of Al-UqabBoth armies had known that the Islamic Conquest of Al-Andalus was hanging in the balance.
To ensure victory the Berber Muslim Almohad rulers of the southern half of the Iberian Peninsul had been forced to pull in troops from the whole Almohad empire, men from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and even as far away as Mauritania and Senegal. Their defeated opponents (pictured) had been equally desperate for success; an alliance of forces of King Alfonso VIII of Castile joined by the armies of his Christian rivals, Sancho VII of Navarre, Pedro II of Aragon and Afonso II of Portugal.
But despite these huge troop movements, the Christian cause was lost by the betrayal of a single man at the outset of the Battle. A Muslim spy informed the Almohad Khalifa, Muhammad an-Nasir that the Alliance was planning a surprise attack through the Despenaperros Pass. The assault was repulsed with huge casaulties, and the Christians broke into a rout.
Entry posted by Todayinah Editor
© Alternate Historian, 2004-.Story Tags
Permalinks: Post, Day. Browse Thread: Religion Source: Wikipedia Labels: Christian Reconquest, Muslim, Spain, Iberian Peninsula, Islam Triumphant. Editor says, in reality the crushing defeat of the Almohads significantly hastened their decline both in the Iberian Peninsula and in the Maghreb a decade later. This would give further momentum to the Christian Reconquest begun by the kingdoms of northern Iberia centuries before, resulting in a sharp reduction in the already declining power of the Moors in the Iberian Peninsula.
~ I think that only securing the whole Iberian peninsula would have ensured the long-term survival of al-Andalus, and that they'd have had regular problems with waves of would-be conquerors from Africa, as well.
~ Might have prolonged their existence, but the conquistadors would be back again and again.
© Today in Alternate History, 2013-. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
